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Corie dedicates this episode to the late matriarch “Mama Doreen,” whose Girl Guides guard-of-honour in a packed Tacarigua church sparked a bigger conversation: the crisis of community and how strong institutions can pull Trinidad & Tobago back from its apparent moral decline. Anchored by memories from the funeral and repass—hymns, kaiso, and hard truths—Corie argues that movements like Girl Guides, Brownies, Scouts, Cadets, school bands, and the Police Band don’t just “nice up” events; they form citizens, bridge generations, and repair trust between youth and the State.

We salute bandmaster Anthony “Mr” Prospect and explore what Independence parades actually mean, why cancelling them matters, and how pageantry signals “we are us.” We touch this year’s National Awards, asking how we value cultural workers next to sport and politics. In the music lane: Leon “Smooth” Edwards’ iconic Panorama moments; why brass belongs in our sound; and a canon defence of Shorty—“Endless Vibrations,” “Om Shanti,” and the unfinished business of credit. There’s a lively detour into Scorch’s 101 soca list—criteria, crowd reaction vs cultural impact—and a real-life car-ride debate about youth music vs parents’ music. We also reason through police-in-schools optics, state-of-emergency fatigue, and how uniformed performance (yes, send the Police Band into communities playing the youths’ songs) can soften hardened lines.

It’s gratitude, history, and kaiso—offered for Mama, inspired by the Girl Guides, and focused on rebuilding the institutions that can steady a wobbling society. Click the link in my bio for the full episode. #coriesheppardpodcast

00:21 World Song / Girl Guides opening
01:34 Dedication to “Mama Doreen” & why this episode
19:27 Hymn that still speaks (“…humble themselves…”)
22:08 Kaiso at the repass, institutions we’re losing
30:21 Police Band IG clip & the power of performance
36:57 Youth music vs parents’ music (the school-run debate)
40:25 Kaiso set: in loving memory
43:51 Who is Anthony “Mr” Prospect? (bio + legacy)
1:00:11 Republic/Independence, awards, and culture as culture
1:10:27 Leon “Smooth” Edwards & iconic Panorama moments
1:13:46 Independence kaiso, Scorch 101 criteria, why Shorty matters
1:27:31 “Oom Shanti” & the case for compensation/credit
1:29:17 DNA—Mama’s favourite; why some songs live forever
1:32:39 “Dedicated to Memory” (Rudder) & roll call of greats
1:38:39 “My Way” — final tribute to Mama Doreen